SHOWING THE WAY TO GOD
By Katrina Varis, Events Coordinator, Jesuit Mission Australia
On Sunday 19 April, supporters, volunteers, donors and friends gathered at the Xavier College Memorial Chapel to mark 75 years of Jesuit Mission Australia. The Thanksgiving Mass and morning tea honoured both the organisation’s history and the people who have sustained it.
The Mass was concelebrated by Fr Steve Curtin SJ, Jesuit Mission Board Director; Fr Chris Middleton SJ, Rector of Xavier College; and Fr Brian McCoy SJ, former Australian Provincial. They were joined by the Tertians in a deeply reflective occasion that honoured the courage and faith of the first Jesuits who left Australia in 1951 to travel to Hazaribag, India, beginning a mission grounded in service, solidarity and accompaniment.
Fr Anand Beck SJ (right), a Tertian from the Hazaribag Province, with Gabriel Eather (left) and Andrew Eather (middle) after the Mass. Andrew is the nephew of the late Rev Michael Eather SJ. Having left Australia in 1959 to serve in Hazaribag, Fr Eather influenced the life of the boy who became an Indian Jesuit and was therefore keen to connect with members of the Eather family during his tertainship in Australia. Photos: Katrina Varis and Clare Dunstan
Among those present were relatives of these pioneering Jesuits who were missioned to Hazaribag in the 1950s. Their presence served as a living connection between past and present; a moving reminder that behind every chapter of this 75-year history are real people, real families and real acts of faith that continue to grow.
Prayers were offered in gratitude for the countless individuals—past and present—who have contributed to Jesuit Mission’s work. There was also a strong sense of renewal, as the community reflected on how to continue responding to the needs of a changing world with the same commitment and faith.
Carmel Frost and Jeremy Frost. Jeremy is holding one of the special commemorative cookies that marked the 75th anniversary of Jesuit Mission Australia.
Following Mass, the morning tea brought old friends together and welcomed new ones. The morning tea was more than a social gathering; it was a celebration of community. It also highlighted the collective effort that has sustained Jesuit Mission over three-quarters of a century, demonstrating that its strength lies not only in its history but in the people who continue to believe in its purpose.
Jesuit Mission’s 75th anniversary Thanksgiving celebrations will continue in Sydney in late May. As Jesus reminds us, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” For 75 years, this community of supporters, volunteers, partners and friends has been those branches — connected to one shared source of love, and bearing fruit together across Asia and beyond. The community will once again gather in Sydney to give thanks for that journey, and to look forward together.
To enquire about becoming a Jesuit in Australia, contact vocations@sjasl.org.au and for more info, visit our Vocations page.